Rebel County – No Angel (Single Review)

‘No Angel’ is the new pop single by Rebel County, a contemporary singer and songwriter from West Cork, Ireland.

What struck me most while listening to the single was the strength of Rebel County’s voice. It’s a vocal presence that calls for one’s attention. While I have a feeling that many artists sing out of a love for the craft, Rebel County feels like a rare exception: he possesses a voice that was ‘meant for singing’.

In that regard, the instrumentation and lyrics almost become secondary: his voice possesses a natural gravity that always rises to the top.

For our review to be thorough, we must touch on the other elements that make up ‘No Angel’. The song opens with the vocals, and just two words in, the piano enters with a metallic – almost pressing – tone. On a different track, an instrument that sharp might have gone toe-to-toe with the singer; however, regardless of the strength those piano chords carry, they ultimately take a backseat. Rebel County’s voice is simply much stronger, ensuring he remains the focal point

Since the song starts early with the vocals layered over the piano, creating a minimalist atmosphere, here are the first lines:

Well, I know what I have seen

And I know where we’ve been

As the song unfolds, we learn that the persona and their addressee have been through a lot. The persona notes that ‘we all have different truths’ – a deeply philosophical line. However, while I’ve praised Rebel County for his strong voice, there are moments where the vocals lack clarity. This occasional muffle dampens the listener’s interest in the otherwise exciting story he is building.

However, the story I pick up is that the lyrical persona – using the words ‘we can make amends; start all over again’ – wants to patch things up with their addressee. I take it that the song refuses to romanticize the addressee as an angel or someone who’s perfect. This is clearly reflected in both the title and the lyrics: ‘No Angel’. Although the lyrics refuse to romanticize the lady in question, he still calls her ‘Angel’ – as in ‘Angel, you’re no angel’. It’s a striking contradiction that grounds the song in a more complicated reality.

Sonically, the song gains claps as it progresses. The vocals soar, with Rebel County belting it out for a brief while – a moment that reminds me of the James Blunt song where he sings, ‘Screaming at the top of my lungs’. The track is dynamic in that way: Rebel County eventually returns to his normal register, but this time the instrumentation has disappeared, leaving his voice exposed for a brief while.

This makes me think that Rebel County has created a song that teases the listener – introducing a sound only to cut it out, then producing another and cutting that out, too. I’m not sure if this is a deliberate creative choice or something else. While it certainly speaks to his dynamism, I’m left with a feeling that goes: ‘If a singer wants to sing, why can’t they just sing?’ My criticism here is the sense that the listener is being played with. We already know Rebel County has the voice; we know he can sing.

Sonically speaking, the song isn’t just piano and claps; it picks up a new level of energy when steady drumming is introduced. This addition provides pulse to the song, finally grounding Rebel County’s strong vocals in a modern rhythm.

SCORE/Outstanding: I’ve praised and criticized the song on a number of fronts, and I won’t rehash them all here. However, I must add one more commendable feature: the vocals merge seamlessly with the instrumentation. At times, just a simple touch of the bass to accompany the voice is enough to make the vocals shine. Because I’m choosing not to dwell on the criticisms, I’ll conclude by saying that my high score is a direct result of that outstanding voice. In that way, we can – in a sense – let the weak points slide!

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]